JP7106248B2 - Signal processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

The present technology relates to a signal processing device and method, and more particularly to a signal processing device and method capable of suppressing deterioration in communication quality.

In general, good antenna characteristics are a condition for high-quality data transmission from a transmitter. For this reason, conventionally, antenna diversity has been practiced, in which a plurality of antennas are mounted and an antenna with good antenna characteristics is selected by communicating with a receiver (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-153984 A

However, since the method described in Patent Document 1 selects a transmitting antenna from the received signal processing result, it can only be applied to devices that transmit and receive signals. Therefore, for example, a transmitter or a receiver that performs one-way communication cannot perform such antenna diversity, and there is a risk that the communication quality will be reduced.

The present disclosure has been made in view of such circumstances, and is intended to suppress deterioration in communication quality.

A signal processing device according to one aspect of the present technology is a signal processing device that does not have a function of receiving a signal transmitted from another device, and for each of a plurality of signal transmission antennas, a frequency band used for signal transmission and the signal transmitting antenna having the maximum total received power of each channel of the frequency band measured by the measuring unit among the plurality of signal transmitting antennas. and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal using the signal transmitting antenna selected by the selecting unit.

The selection unit can select the signal transmission antenna having the maximum total received power of all channels in the frequency band.

The selection unit can select the signal transmission antenna having the maximum sum of received power of the partial channels of the frequency band .

The selection unit can select the signal transmission antenna having the maximum sum of the multiplication results of the reception power of each channel in the frequency band and the weighting factor .

In a signal processing method according to one aspect of the present technology, a signal processing device that does not have a function of receiving a signal transmitted from another device operates in each frequency band used for signal transmission for each of a plurality of signal transmission antennas. measuring the received power in a channel, selecting from among the plurality of signal transmitting antennas the signal transmitting antenna having the maximum sum of the measured received power of each channel in the frequency band, and selecting the selected signal ; A signal processing method for transmitting a signal using a transmitting antenna.

In the signal processing device and method of one aspect of the present technology, the function of receiving signals transmitted from other devices is not provided, and for each of the plurality of signal transmission antennas, each of the frequency bands used for signal transmission receiving power is measured in a channel, a signal transmitting antenna having the maximum sum of received power of each channel in the measured frequency band is selected from among the plurality of signal transmitting antennas, and the selected signal transmitting antenna An antenna is used to transmit the signal.

According to the present technology, signals can be processed. Further, according to the present technology, it is possible to suppress deterioration in communication quality.

It is a figure which shows the main structural examples of a position notification system. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the state of an antenna; 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of a transmission device; FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the flow of transmission processing; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of a high-sensitivity receiver; FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the flow of reception processing; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of a transmission device; FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the flow of transmission processing; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of a high-sensitivity receiver; FIG. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the flow of reception processing; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main configuration example of an anti-theft system; FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the main structural examples of a computer.

Hereinafter, a form for carrying out the present disclosure (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) will be described. The description will be given in the following order.
1. Position notification system 2 . First embodiment (transmitting device)
3. Second Embodiment (High Sensitivity Receiver)
4. Third embodiment (transmitting device)
5. Fourth Embodiment (High Sensitivity Receiver)
6. others

<1. Location notification system>
<Location notification system>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main configuration example of a position notification system, which is one embodiment of a signal transmission/reception system to which the present technology is applied. A location notification system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a system in which a transmitting device 101 notifies its own location. This system is used, for example, to monitor and manage the location of objects. As shown in FIG. 1, the position notification system 100 has devices such as a transmitter 101, a highly sensitive receiver 102, a server 104, a terminal device 105, and the like. The number of transmission devices 101, high-sensitivity reception devices 102, servers 104, and terminal devices 105 is arbitrary, and each may be plural.

The transmitting device 101 is an embodiment of a transmitting device to which the present technology is applied, and transmits, for example, identification information that identifies itself, location information that indicates its location, etc. as a radio signal. The high-sensitivity receiving device 102 is an embodiment of a receiving device to which the present technology is applied, receives the radio signal, acquires identification information, location information, etc. of the transmitting device 101, and transmits them via the network 103. and supplies it to the server 104 . In other words, the high-sensitivity receiver 102 functions as a relay station that relays information transmitted from the transmitter 101 and transmits the information to the server 104 . The server 104 manages the position of each transmission device 101 by linking the position information to the identification information. A terminal device 105 operated by a user who wants to know the location of the transmitting device 101 accesses the server 104 via the network 103, supplies the identification information of the desired transmitting device 101, and requests its location information. Server 104 supplies location information corresponding to the requested identification information to terminal device 105 . The terminal device 105 acquires the position information and notifies the user of the position of the transmission device 101 by, for example, displaying it together with map data or the like.

By having such a transmitting device 101 carried (including possessed or worn) by an object whose position is to be monitored (managed), the server 104 can indirectly manage the position of the position monitored (managed) object. can be done. In the example of FIG. 1 , the user targets an elderly person 111 for location monitoring, and causes the elderly person 111 to carry the transmission device 101 . As described above, the location of transmitting device 101 is managed by server 104 and provided to terminal device 105 . Therefore, the user can operate the terminal device 105 to grasp the position of the elderly person 111 carrying the transmission device 101 .

Note that the position monitoring target is arbitrary. For example, it may be a child, an animal such as a dog or a cat, or an employee of a company. The transmission device 101 may be configured as a dedicated device, or may be incorporated in a portable information processing device such as a mobile phone or a smart phone, for example.

The location information of the transmitting device 101 may be any information as long as it indicates the location of the transmitting device 101, and may be generated in any manner. For example, the transmitting device 101 may receive GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites and obtain its own location information (eg, latitude and longitude) based on the GNSS signals. Also, for example, the transmitting device 101 may identify its own position using a dedicated positioning system other than GNSS.

Furthermore, this position information is generated by a device other than the transmitting device 101, such as the high-sensitivity receiving device 102, the server 104, or a separately provided dedicated information processing device (server, etc.). may For example, the GNSS signal received by the transmitting device 101 may be supplied to another device, and the other device may obtain the position information of the transmitting device 101 from the GNSS signal. Also, for example, the transmitting device 101 supplies information obtained using a dedicated positioning system other than GNSS to another device, and the other device obtains the location information of the transmitting device 101 based on the information. may

Also, for example, another device may obtain the position information of the transmitting device 101 based on the communication status between the transmitting device 101 and the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 . For example, by identifying the high-sensitivity receiver 102 that has received the signal from the transmitter 101 , it may be determined that the transmitter 101 is located within the communicable range of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 . Furthermore, more detailed position information of the transmitting device 101 may be obtained based on the signal strength, delay time, etc. of the received signal received by the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 . Further, for example, the position information of the transmitting device 101 may be obtained by triangulation or the like using the position information of a plurality of high-sensitivity receiving devices 102 that have received the signal from the transmitting device 101 .

The installation position of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 is arbitrary. For example, it may be the roof of the building 112 such as a building, condominium, house, or the like. The buildings 112 are suitable because they are numerous in urban areas where there is a high possibility that a location monitoring target (for example, an elderly person 111) carrying the transmitting device 101 will be active, and they are easy to install. In particular, when the position monitoring target is a person, the home of the position monitoring target is more likely to be located in the vicinity of the house, which is preferable. In terms of securing an installation site, it is easier to obtain consent than when the location notification service provider independently secures a site and installs the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 .

In addition, the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 may be installed on a movable object (also referred to as a moving object) such as a car, motorcycle, or bicycle. That is, the position of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 may be variable.

The network 103 is an arbitrary communication network, and may be a wired communication network, a wireless communication network, or both. Also, the network 103 may be composed of one communication network, or may be composed of a plurality of communication networks. For example, the Internet, public telephone networks, wide area communication networks for wireless mobiles such as 3G lines and 4G lines, WANs (Wide Area Networks), LANs (Local Area Networks), communications conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard wireless communication network, communication path for short-range wireless communication such as NFC (Near Field Communication), communication path for infrared communication, standards such as HDMI (registered trademark) (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and USB (Universal Serial Bus) The network 103 may include a communication network or communication path of any communication standard, such as a wired communication network conforming to the .

The server 104 and the terminal device 105 are information processing devices that process information. The server 104 and the terminal device 105 are communicably connected to the network 103, and can communicate with other communication devices connected to the network 103 via the network 103 to exchange information.

Server 104 manages the location of transmitting device 101 . The server 104 can also manage users who are permitted to provide the location information of the transmitting device 101 . For example, the server 104 can provide the location information of each transmitting device 101 only to users who are permitted to obtain the location information of that transmitting device 101 .

As described above, the server 104 manages the location of the transmitting device 101 by relaying information provided from the transmitting device 101 by the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 and supplying it to the server 104 . In other words, the server 104 can manage the position of the transmitting device 101 when the transmitting device 101 is located within the communicable range of any of the high-sensitivity receiving devices 102 . In other words, if the position of transmitting device 101 is out of the communicable range of any high-sensitivity receiving device 102, server 104 cannot manage the position. Therefore, the wider the range of communication between the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 and the transmitting device 101 , the more accurately the server 104 can manage the location of the transmitting device 101 .

Here, more accurate management means managing the position of transmitting device 101 in a wider range (that is, reducing the area where the position of transmitting device 101 cannot be managed). In order to widen the range in which the position of the transmitting device 101 can be managed, the farther the transmitting device 101 and the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 can transmit and receive radio signals, The wider the communicable range), the better. The method of transmitting and receiving radio signals between the transmitting device 101 and the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 is arbitrary and may conform to any communication standard. ) may be used to allow long-distance communication to take place in a manner that allows it.

For example, if the time and frequency at which the transmitting device 101 transmits a radio signal are known (known by the high-sensitivity receiving device 102), the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 detects the radio signal at the known time and frequency. Since it is only necessary to do so, detection becomes easier. Therefore, reception sensitivity can be improved. In other words, the communicable range of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 can be further expanded.

<Antenna Diversity>
Also, by transmitting data with higher quality on the transmitting side, it is possible to improve reception sensitivity on the receiving side. In general, good antenna characteristics are a condition for high-quality data transmission on the transmitting side. For example, if the transmitting device 101 is carried by an elderly person 111, as in the example of FIG. there's a possibility that. FIG. 2B shows a plan view of the radiation characteristics of the antenna of the transmitting device 101 in that case, and FIG. 2C shows a three-dimensional view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C, in this case, radio waves are almost not radiated toward the human body (elderly person 111). That is, when the antenna is positioned near the human body, the operating gain of radio waves is reduced.

For this reason, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, antenna diversity has been practiced in which a plurality of antennas having different antenna characteristics, positions, postures, etc. are mounted and the antenna with the best performance is selected. The best performance can be simply determined by signal level, CNR (Carrier to Noise Ratio), whether or not reception is possible, and so on.

However, in the case of the position notification system 100, because of the one-way communication from the transmitting device 101 to the highly sensitive receiving device 102, the highly sensitive receiving device 102 sends information such as the signal level, CNR, and whether or not reception is possible to the transmitting device 101. Unable to send. Therefore, transmitting apparatus 101 cannot select a transmitting antenna based on received information. Therefore, such antenna diversity cannot be performed, and there is a possibility that the communication quality is reduced.

<2. First Embodiment>
<Transmitting Antenna Diversity by Carrier Sense>
Therefore, an antenna to be used for transmission is selected from among the plurality of antennas based on the received power of all channels of the frequency band used for transmission by each of the plurality of antennas, and a signal is transmitted using the selected antenna. You may do so. A strong ambient radio wave level indicates that the impedance of the antenna is matched and that the output level is strong during transmission. In other words, by selecting a more preferable antenna based on the received power in this way, transmitting apparatus 101 can transmit data with higher quality without receiving a signal transmitted from the communication partner. Therefore, deterioration of communication quality can be suppressed.

<Structure of transmitter>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of the transmission device 101. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 , transmitting apparatus 101 has control section 151 , antenna 161 - 1 , antenna 161 - 2 , antenna selection section 162 , processing selection section 163 , carrier sense section 164 and transmission section 165 .

The control unit 151 controls each processing unit of the transmission device 101, and performs processing related to control such as processing related to signal transmission, processing related to carrier sense, and processing related to antenna diversity. Antenna 161 - 1 and antenna 161 - 2 are multiple antennas provided in transmitting apparatus 101 . Antenna 161-1 and antenna 161-2 are referred to as antenna 161 when there is no need to distinguish them from each other. Although two antennas 161 are shown in FIG. 3, the number of antennas 161 is arbitrary. Antenna 161 is used, for example, for signal transmission and carrier sensing.

The antenna selection unit 162 performs processing related to selection of the antenna 161 used for signal transmission and carrier sensing. For example, antenna selection section 162 is controlled by control section 151 to select either antenna 161-1 or antenna 161-2. Then, the antenna selection unit 162 supplies the transmission signal supplied from the processing selection unit 163 to the selected antenna 161 . That is, the transmission signal is transmitted via antenna 161 selected by antenna selection section 162 . Further, for example, during carrier sensing, the antenna selection unit 162 supplies the signal received via the selected antenna 161 to the processing selection unit 163 . That is, during carrier sensing, the received power received via the antenna selected by antenna selection section 162 is supplied to processing selection section 163 .

The processing selection unit 163 performs processing related to selection of processing to be executed. For example, the processing selection unit 163 is controlled by the control unit 151 to select either the carrier sense unit 164 or the transmission unit 165 . For example, when transmitting a signal, the processing selection unit 163 selects the transmission unit 165 . Then, the processing selection unit 163 supplies the signal supplied from the transmission unit 165 to the antenna selection unit 162 . Further, for example, when performing carrier sense, the processing selection unit 163 selects the carrier sense unit 164 . Then, the processing selection section 163 supplies the received power supplied from the antenna selection section 162 to the carrier sense section 164 thereof. That is, the processing unit selected by the processing selection unit 163 is connected to the antenna 161 selected by the antenna selection unit 162 .

The carrier sense unit 164 performs processing related to carrier sense. For example, the carrier sense unit 164 is controlled by the control unit 151 to measure the received power in each channel of the frequency band used for signal transmission. The transmission unit 165 performs processing related to signal transmission. For example, the transmission unit 165 is controlled by the control unit 151 to generate a signal to be transmitted (transmission signal), and transmit it to the processing selection unit 163, the antenna selection unit 162, and the antenna selected by the antenna selection unit 162. 161 as a radio signal.

In such a transmitting apparatus 101, the control section 151 controls the carrier sense section 164 and the like to carry out carrier scanning of the frequency band used for signal transmission and measure the reception power of each channel. The control unit 151 causes each antenna 161 to perform such a carrier scan. Then, the control unit 151 controls the antenna selection unit 162 to select the antenna 161 based on the measurement result of each antenna (received power of each channel). That is, antenna selection section 162 selects an antenna to be used for signal transmission based on the received power of the frequency band used for signal transmission. Then, the control unit 151 controls the processing selection unit 163 to select the transmission unit 165, controls the transmission unit 165 to generate a transmission signal, and transmits it via the antenna 161 selected by the antenna selection unit 162. to send. That is, the transmitter 165 transmits the signal via the antenna 161 selected by the antenna selector 162 .

By doing so, it is possible to perform signal transmission using an antenna selected according to the received power. Better antennas can be used for signal transmission. Therefore, even the transmitting device 101 that does not have a signal receiving function can transmit data with higher quality, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality.

Note that the control unit 151 controls the antenna selection unit 162 to select the antenna 161 based on the integrated value (sum of the reception power for all channels) of the measurement result of each antenna (reception power of each channel). may That is, the antenna selection unit 162 may select an antenna based on the sum of received power of each channel of the frequency band used for signal transmission. By doing so, the antenna 161 with better characteristics can be selected, so that the transmitting apparatus 101 can transmit data with higher quality, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality.

Note that the control unit 151 may calculate the integrated value (sum of received power for all channels). By calculating the integrated value in the control unit 151 that controls each processing unit of the transmission device 101, the integrated value can be calculated more easily and the calculated integrated value can be used.

Further, for example, the control unit 151 may control the antenna selection unit 162 to select the antenna 161 having the maximum total received power. That is, the antenna selection unit 162 may select the antenna 161 with the maximum total received power. By doing so, the antenna 161 with the best characteristics can be selected, so that the transmitting apparatus 101 can transmit data with higher quality, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality.

<Transmission process flow>
An example of the flow of transmission processing executed by the transmission device 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the transmission process is started, the process selection unit 163 switches the connection to the antenna 161 to the carrier sense side under the control of the control unit 151 in step S101. That is, the processing selection unit 163 connects the carrier sense unit 164 to the antenna selection unit 162 .

In step S102, the antenna selection unit 162 is controlled by the control unit 151 to select the antenna 161 to be used. That is, the antenna selection unit 162 connects the antenna 161-1 or the antenna 161-2 to the processing selection unit 163. FIG. As a result, carrier sense section 164 is connected to antenna 161-1 or antenna 161-2.

In step S103, the carrier sense unit 164 is controlled by the control unit 151 to select a channel to be processed from among a plurality of channels in the frequency band used for signal transmission. In step S104, the carrier sense unit 164 is controlled by the control unit 151 to measure the reception power of the processing target channel. The control unit 151 acquires and integrates the received power measured by the carrier sense unit 164 . That is, the control unit 151 integrates the received power of each channel.

In step S105, the control unit 151 determines whether or not all channels have been processed. If it is determined that there is an unprocessed channel, the process returns to step S103. That is, each process from step S103 to step S105 is executed for each channel. Then, if it is determined in step S105 that the reception power has been measured and integrated for all channels of the frequency band used for signal transmission, the process proceeds to step S106.

In step S106, the control unit 151 determines whether all the antennas 161 have been processed. If it is determined that there is an unprocessed antenna 161, the process returns to step S102. An unprocessed antenna is selected in step S102, and the processes of steps S103 to S105 are executed for that antenna. That is, each process from step S102 to step S106 is performed for each antenna. Then, in step S106, when it is determined that the process has been performed for all antennas, the process proceeds to step S107.

In step S<b>107 , the antenna selection unit 162 is controlled by the control unit 151 and selects the antenna 161 having the maximum total received power calculated by the control unit 151 . In other words, antenna selection section 162 connects antenna 161-1 and antenna 161-2, whichever has higher received power, to processing selection section 163. FIG.

In step S108, the processing selection unit 163 is controlled by the control unit 151 to switch the connection to the antenna 161 to the transmission side. That is, the processing selection unit 163 connects the transmission unit 165 to the antenna selection unit 162 . As a result, transmitting section 165 is connected to the antenna 161-1 or 161-2, whichever has the higher received power.

In step S<b>109 , the transmission unit 165 performs transmission under the control of the control unit 151 . That is, transmitting section 165 generates a transmission signal and transmits the transmission signal via antenna 161 selected by antenna selection section 162 . When the signal transmission ends, the transmission process ends.

By executing each process as described above, transmitting apparatus 101 can perform signal transmission using an antenna with higher received power. A large received power indicates that the impedance of the antenna is matched by 50Ω and that the performance of the antenna is good. In other words, transmitting apparatus 101 can select an antenna with better performance without receiving a signal transmitted from a communication partner. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where the position of the antenna is located near the human body or the antenna itself is out of order, the transmitting device 101 switches between the plurality of antennas to perform data transmission with higher quality. be able to. In this way, by applying the present technology, even the transmission device 101 that does not have a signal reception function can perform data transmission so as to improve the data reception success rate on the reception side. That is, reduction in communication quality can be suppressed.

The received power used for antenna selection may not be for all channels of the frequency band used for signal transmission. For example, antenna selection may be performed based on (the integrated value of) received power of some channels.

In addition, antenna selection may be performed based on received power, and the parameters related to received power to be compared between antennas are arbitrary. For example, the received power of each channel may be multiplied by a weighting factor, and the integrated value of the received power multiplied by the weighting factor may be compared. Also, for example, instead of the integrated value of received power, the maximum value, average value, median value, or the like of received power may be compared. It should be noted that an antenna with a non-maximum parameter value to be compared may be selected.

<3. Second Embodiment>
<Antenna diversity on the receiving side by carrier sense>
Note that the present technology may be applied on the receiving side. That is, based on the received power of all channels of the frequency band used for reception of each of the plurality of antennas, the antenna to be used for reception is selected from among the plurality of antennas, and the selected antenna is used to receive the signal. You may do so. A strong ambient radio wave level indicates that the impedance of the antenna is matched and that the output level is strong during reception. In other words, by selecting a more preferable antenna based on the received power in this way, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can perform data reception with higher sensitivity, thereby suppressing deterioration in communication quality. In this case, high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna without receiving a signal transmitted from the communication partner (transmitting apparatus 101), so that it does not wait for a signal from the communication partner (that is, (faster) antenna selection. That is, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of communication quality at a higher speed.

<Configuration of Receiving Device>
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of the high-sensitivity receiver 102. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 has control section 201, antenna 211-1, antenna 211-2, antenna selection section 212, processing selection section 213, carrier sense section 214, and reception section 215. .

The control unit 201 controls each processing unit of the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102, and performs processing related to control such as processing related to signal reception, processing related to carrier sense, and processing related to antenna diversity. Antenna 211 - 1 and antenna 211 - 2 are a plurality of antennas provided in high sensitivity receiver 102 . Antenna 211-1 and antenna 211-2 are referred to as antenna 211 when there is no need to distinguish them from each other. Although two antennas 211 are shown in FIG. 5, the number of antennas 211 is arbitrary. The antenna 211 is used, for example, for signal reception and carrier sensing.

The antenna selection unit 212 performs processing related to selection of the antenna 211 used for signal reception and carrier sensing. For example, antenna selection section 212 is controlled by control section 201 to select either antenna 211-1 or antenna 211-2. Then, antenna selection section 212 supplies the reception signal received via selected antenna 211 to processing selection section 213 .

The processing selection unit 213 performs processing related to selection of processing to be executed. For example, the processing selection unit 213 is controlled by the control unit 201 to select either the carrier sense unit 214 or the reception unit 215 . For example, when receiving a signal, the processing selection unit 213 selects the reception unit 215 . Then, the processing selection section 213 supplies the reception signal supplied from the antenna selection section 212 to the reception section 215 thereof. Further, for example, when performing carrier sense, the processing selection unit 213 selects the carrier sense unit 214 . Then, the processing selection section 213 supplies the received power supplied from the antenna selection section 212 to the carrier sense section 214 . That is, the processing unit selected by the processing selection unit 213 is connected to the antenna 211 selected by the antenna selection unit 212 .

The carrier sense unit 214 performs processing related to carrier sense. For example, the carrier sense unit 214 is controlled by the control unit 201 to measure the received power in each channel of the frequency band used for signal reception. The receiving unit 215 performs processing related to signal reception. For example, the receiving unit 215 receives the received signal via the antenna 211 selected by the antenna selecting unit 212 under the control of the control unit 201 and supplied via the antenna selecting unit 212 and the processing selecting unit 213. performs predetermined processing such as demodulation, and acquires data (for example, identification information, position information, etc.) transmitted from the transmission device 101 .

In such a high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102, the control section 201 controls the carrier sense section 214, etc., carries out carrier scanning of the frequency band used for signal reception, and measures the reception power of each channel. The control unit 201 causes each antenna 211 to perform such a carrier scan. Then, control section 201 controls antenna selection section 212 to select antenna 211 based on the measurement result of each antenna (received power of each channel). That is, antenna selection section 212 selects an antenna to be used for signal reception based on the received power of the frequency band used for signal reception. Then, the control section 201 controls the processing selection section 213 to select the reception section 215 and controls the reception section 215 to perform processing such as demodulation on the reception signal received via the antenna 211 . That is, the receiving section 215 receives signals via the antenna 211 selected by the antenna selecting section 212 .

By doing so, it is possible to perform signal reception using an antenna selected according to the received power, so that the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can perform signal reception using an antenna with better performance. can. Therefore, the high-sensitivity receiver 102 can perform data reception with higher sensitivity, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality. Note that since the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna without receiving a signal transmitted from the communication partner (transmitting apparatus 101), it does not wait for the signal from the communication partner (i.e., can receive the signal at a higher speed). ) antenna can be selected. That is, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of communication quality at a higher speed.

Note that the control unit 201 controls the antenna selection unit 212 based on the integrated value (sum of the reception power of all channels) of the measurement result of each antenna (the reception power of each channel) to select the antenna 211. may In other words, the antenna selection section 212 may select an antenna based on the sum of received power of each channel in the frequency band used for signal reception. By doing so, the antenna 211 with better characteristics can be selected, so that the high-sensitivity receiver 102 can receive data with higher sensitivity, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality. .

Note that the control unit 201 may calculate the integrated value (sum of received power for all channels). By calculating the integrated value in the control unit 201 that controls each processing unit of the high-sensitivity receiver 102, the integrated value can be calculated more easily and the calculated integrated value can be used.

Further, for example, the control unit 201 may control the antenna selection unit 212 to select the antenna 211 having the maximum total received power. In other words, antenna selection section 212 may select antenna 211 with the largest sum of received power. By doing so, the antenna 211 with the best characteristics can be selected, so that the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can perform data reception with higher sensitivity, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality. .

<Flow of reception processing>
An example of the flow of reception processing executed by the high-sensitivity reception device 102 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the reception process is started, the process selection unit 213 switches the connection to the antenna 211 to the carrier sense side under the control of the control unit 201 in step S131. That is, the processing selection section 213 connects the carrier sense section 214 to the antenna selection section 212 .

In step S132, the antenna selection unit 212 is controlled by the control unit 201 to select the antenna 211 to be used. That is, antenna selection section 212 connects antenna 211 - 1 or antenna 211 - 2 to processing selection section 213 . As a result, carrier sense section 214 is connected to antenna 211-1 or antenna 211-2.

In step S133, the carrier sense unit 214 is controlled by the control unit 201 to select a channel to be processed from among a plurality of channels in the frequency band used for signal reception. In step S134, the carrier sense unit 214 is controlled by the control unit 201 to measure the reception power of the processing target channel. Control section 201 acquires and integrates the reception power measured by carrier sense section 214 . That is, control section 201 integrates the received power of each channel.

In step S135, the control unit 201 determines whether or not all channels have been processed. If it is determined that there is an unprocessed channel, the process returns to step S133. That is, each process from step S133 to step S135 is executed for each channel. Then, if it is determined in step S135 that the reception power has been measured and integrated for all channels of the frequency band used for signal reception, the process proceeds to step S136.

In step S136, the control unit 201 determines whether or not all antennas 211 have been processed. If it is determined that there is an unprocessed antenna 211, the process returns to step S132. An unprocessed antenna is selected in step S132, and the processes of steps S133 to S135 are executed for that antenna. That is, each process from step S132 to step S136 is performed for each antenna. Then, if it is determined in step S136 that the process has been performed for all antennas, the process proceeds to step S137.

In step S<b>137 , antenna selection section 212 is controlled by control section 201 and selects antenna 211 with the maximum total received power calculated by control section 201 . In other words, antenna selection section 212 connects antenna 211-1 and antenna 211-2, whichever has higher received power, to processing selection section 213. FIG.

In step S138, the processing selection unit 213 is controlled by the control unit 201 to switch the connection to the antenna 211 to the reception side. That is, the processing selection unit 213 connects the reception unit 215 to the antenna selection unit 212 . As a result, the receiving section 215 is connected to the one of the antennas 211-1 and 211-2 which has the higher received power.

In step S139, the receiving unit 215 performs reception under the control of the control unit 201. FIG. That is, the receiving unit 215 receives a signal via the antenna 211 selected by the antenna selecting unit 212, acquires the received signal through the antenna selecting unit 212 and the processing selecting unit 213, and converts the acquired received signal into Then, the data supplied from the transmitting apparatus 101 is obtained by performing predetermined processing such as demodulation. When signal reception ends, the reception process ends.

By executing each process as described above, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can perform signal reception using an antenna with higher received power. A large received power indicates that the impedance of the antenna is matched by 50Ω and that the performance of the antenna is good. That is, high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna with better performance. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where the antenna is located near the human body or the antenna itself is out of order, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can switch between a plurality of antennas to receive data with higher sensitivity. can be done. That is, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can improve the data reception success rate and suppress deterioration of communication quality.

Note that since the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna without receiving a signal transmitted from the communication partner (transmitting apparatus 101), it does not wait for the signal from the communication partner (i.e., can receive the signal at a higher speed). ) antenna can be selected. That is, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of communication quality at a higher speed.

The received power used for antenna selection may not be for all channels of the frequency band used for signal reception. For example, antenna selection may be performed based on (the integrated value of) received power of some channels.

In addition, antenna selection may be performed based on received power, and the parameters related to received power to be compared between antennas are arbitrary. For example, the received power of each channel may be multiplied by a weighting factor, and the integrated value of the received power multiplied by the weighting factor may be compared. Also, for example, instead of the integrated value of received power, the maximum value, average value, median value, or the like of received power may be compared. It should be noted that an antenna with a non-maximum parameter value to be compared may be selected.

<4. Third Embodiment>
<Antenna diversity on the receiving side due to housing orientation>
In the above description, antenna selection is performed based on the received power measured by carrier sense. antenna selection may be performed. For example, transmitting device 101 may select an antenna to be used for transmission from among a plurality of antennas based on the orientation of the housing of transmitting device 101, and transmit a signal using the selected antenna.

For example, as described with reference to FIG. 2, when the transmitting device 101 is used near the human body (eg, the elderly person 111), the antenna closer to the human body has a greater reduction in operating gain. Therefore, by selecting an antenna that is farther from the human body (an antenna that is closer to the space), it is possible to suppress deterioration in communication quality. Also, for example, the same applies when the transmitting apparatus 101 is installed on the ground or the like, and the reduction in operating gain is greater for the antenna on the ground side. Therefore, by selecting an antenna that is farther from the ground (an antenna that is closer to the space), it is possible to suppress deterioration in communication quality.

In this way, the radio wave radiation pattern is often determined by the attitude of the housing of the transmitter 101 (relationship with surrounding objects). And generally, the position of each antenna in the transmitting device 101 is fixed and known. Therefore, by selecting an antenna to be used for signal transmission based on the posture of the housing of transmitting apparatus 101 (relationship with surrounding objects), it is possible to select an antenna with better performance. Therefore, even the transmitting device 101 that does not have a signal receiving function can transmit data with higher quality, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality.

<Structure of transmitter>
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of the transmission device 101 in that case. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the transmitter 101 has a 3-axis electronic compass 251 in addition to the configuration shown in FIG.

The 3-axis electronic compass 251 measures the orientation of the housing of the transmitter 101 in space. In other words, the three-axis electronic compass 251 functions as an orientation detection unit that detects the orientation of the housing of the transmission device 101 in space. The 3-axis electronic compass 251 supplies information indicating the measured attitude (orientation) of the housing of the transmission device 101 to the control unit 151 .

The control unit 151 controls the antenna selection unit 162 to select the antenna 161 based on the information supplied from the three-axis electronic compass 251 , that is, the attitude of the housing of the transmission device 101 . That is, antenna selection section 162 selects an antenna to be used for signal transmission based on the orientation of the housing of transmission device 101 . Then, the control unit 151 controls the processing selection unit 163 to select the transmission unit 165, controls the transmission unit 165 to generate a transmission signal, and transmits it via the antenna 161 selected by the antenna selection unit 162. to send. That is, the transmitter 165 transmits the signal via the antenna 161 selected by the antenna selector 162 .

By doing so, it is possible to perform signal transmission using an antenna selected according to the posture of the housing of the transmitting device 101, so that the transmitting device 101 receives the signal transmitted from the communication partner. Therefore, it is possible to perform signal transmission using an antenna with better performance. Therefore, even the transmitting device 101 that does not have a signal receiving function can transmit data with higher quality, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality.

Note that the antenna selection unit 162 may select an antenna arranged on the space side based on the orientation of the housing of the transmission device 101 . Here, "space" indicates a state in which other objects or the like do not exist. In general, antenna characteristics are better when there are no other objects around. Therefore, by doing so, transmitting apparatus 101 can perform signal transmission using an antenna with better performance.

For example, if the situation around the transmitting device 101 (existence of nearby objects, etc.) is known, the antenna may be selected based on the attitude of the housing of the transmitting device 101 with respect to that situation. For example, when the elderly person 111 carries the transmission device 101 and it is clear that the human body (elderly person 111) is positioned in a predetermined direction as viewed from the transmission device 101, the posture of the housing of the transmission device 101 By selecting the antenna in the direction opposite to the human body based on , it is possible to select the antenna arranged on the space side.

Further, for example, when the surrounding conditions of the transmitting device 101 are unknown, the antenna on the upper side of the housing of the transmitting device 101 (sky side, opposite side of the ground) may be selected. In general, since the ground exists on the lower side of the housing of the transmitter 101, the space is narrower than the upper side, and the radio wave radiation efficiency is often reduced. Therefore, by selecting the antenna on the upper side of the housing of transmitting apparatus 101 based on the attitude of the housing of transmitting apparatus 101, the possibility of selecting an antenna with better performance increases, and communication quality improves. reduction can be suppressed.

Note that the orientation detection unit may detect, for example, an acceleration sensor. A compass other than a three-axis electronic compass may be used. Moreover, it may be detected by another device. For example, an image of the transmission device 101 may be captured by an imaging device, and the posture of the housing of the transmission device 101 may be detected based on the captured image. Also, the orientation of the housing of the transmission device 101 may be detected by a plurality of methods. In other words, any method can be used to detect the orientation of the housing of the transmission device 101 .

<Transmission process flow>
An example of the flow of transmission processing executed by the transmission device 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the transmission process is started, the 3-axis electronic compass 251 is controlled by the control unit 151 to detect the attitude of the housing of the transmission device 101 in step S161. The control unit 151 acquires the information and grasps the orientation of the housing of the transmission device 101 .

In step S162, the antenna selection unit 162 is controlled by the control unit 151 to select the performance of the antenna 161-1 or the antenna 161-2 according to the orientation of the housing of the transmission device 101 detected in step S161. choose the better one.

In step S163, the processing selection unit 163 is controlled by the control unit 151 to switch the connection to the antenna 161 to the carrier sense side. That is, the processing selection unit 163 connects the carrier sense unit 164 to the antenna selection unit 162 .

In step S164, under the control of the control unit 151, the carrier sense unit 164 performs carrier sense and confirms whether or not the frequency band used for signal transmission is available.

When it is confirmed that the frequency band is available, in step S165, the processing selection unit 163 is controlled by the control unit 151 to switch the connection to the antenna 161 to the transmission side. That is, the processing selection unit 163 connects the transmission unit 165 to the antenna selection unit 162 . As a result, transmission section 165 is connected to the antenna 161-1 or 161-2 selected in step S162.

In step S166, the transmission unit 165 performs transmission under the control of the control unit 151. FIG. That is, transmitting section 165 generates a transmission signal and transmits the transmission signal via antenna 161 selected by antenna selection section 162 . When the signal transmission ends, the transmission process ends.

By executing each process as described above, the transmitting device 101 can perform signal transmission using an antenna corresponding to the orientation of the housing of the transmitting device 101 . In other words, transmitting apparatus 101 can select an antenna with better performance without receiving a signal transmitted from a communication partner. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where the antennas are positioned near the human body, the transmitting apparatus 101 can switch between multiple antennas to perform data transmission with higher quality. In this way, by applying the present technology, even the transmission device 101 that does not have a signal reception function can perform data transmission so as to improve the data reception success rate on the reception side. That is, reduction in communication quality can be suppressed.

The timing of posture detection and antenna selection is arbitrary. It may be performed before performing carrier sensing as described above, may be performed constantly in parallel with carrier sensing and signal transmission, or may be performed at a predetermined time. , may be performed periodically at predetermined time intervals, or may be performed irregularly.

<5. Fourth Embodiment>
<Antenna diversity on the receiving side due to housing orientation>
Note that the present technology may be applied on the receiving side. That is, an antenna to be used for reception may be selected from among a plurality of antennas based on the attitude of the housing, and the selected antenna may be used to receive the signal. For example, for the high-sensitivity receiver 102, an antenna to be used for reception is selected from among a plurality of antennas based on the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102, and the selected antenna is used to receive the signal. may

For example, as described with reference to FIG. 2, if the sensitive receiver 102 is used near some object (e.g., building 112), the closer the antenna is to the object, the greater the reduction in operating gain. . Therefore, by selecting an antenna that is farther from the object (antenna that is closer to the space), it is possible to suppress deterioration in communication quality. Also, for example, when the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 is installed on the ground, the reduction in operating gain is greater for the antenna on the ground side. Therefore, by selecting an antenna that is farther from the ground (an antenna that is closer to the space), it is possible to suppress deterioration in communication quality.

In this way, the radio wave radiation pattern is often determined by the attitude of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 (relationship with surrounding objects). And, in general, the position of each antenna at the high-sensitivity receiver 102 is fixed and known. Therefore, by selecting an antenna to be used for signal reception based on the posture of the housing of the high-sensitivity reception device 102 (relationship with surrounding objects), the high-sensitivity reception device 102 performs data reception with higher sensitivity. Therefore, deterioration of communication quality can be suppressed. In this case, high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna without receiving a signal transmitted from the communication partner (transmitting apparatus 101), so that it does not wait for a signal from the communication partner (that is, (faster) antenna selection. That is, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of communication quality at a higher speed.

<Configuration of Receiving Device>
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a main configuration example of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 in that case. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the high-sensitivity receiver 102 has a 3-axis electronic compass 281 in addition to the configuration shown in FIG.

The 3-axis electronic compass 281 is a processing unit similar to the 3-axis electronic compass 251, and measures the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 in space. In other words, the three-axis electronic compass 281 functions as an orientation detection unit that detects the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 in space. The three-axis electronic compass 281 supplies the control unit 201 with information indicating the measured attitude (orientation) of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 .

The control unit 201 controls the antenna selection unit 212 to select the antenna 211 based on the information supplied from the three-axis electronic compass 281 , that is, the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 . That is, antenna selection section 212 selects an antenna to be used for signal reception based on the orientation of the housing of high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 . Then, the control section 201 controls the processing selection section 213 to select the reception section 215 and controls the reception section 215 to perform processing such as demodulation on the reception signal received via the antenna 211 . That is, the receiving section 215 receives signals via the antenna 211 selected by the antenna selecting section 212 .

By doing so, it is possible to perform signal reception using an antenna selected according to the posture of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102, so that the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can use an antenna with better performance. can be used for signal reception. Therefore, the high-sensitivity receiver 102 can perform data reception with higher sensitivity, and can suppress deterioration in communication quality. Note that since the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna without receiving a signal transmitted from the communication partner (transmitting apparatus 101), it does not wait for the signal from the communication partner (i.e., can receive the signal at a higher speed). ) antenna can be selected. That is, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of communication quality at a higher speed.

Note that antenna selection section 212 may select an antenna arranged on the space side based on the orientation of the housing of high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 . In general, antenna characteristics are better when there are no other objects around. Therefore, by doing so, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can perform signal reception using an antenna with better performance.

For example, when the situation around the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 (existence of an object in the vicinity, etc.) is known, the antenna is selected based on the attitude of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 with respect to the situation. do it. For example, in a state where the high-sensitivity receiver 102 is installed in a building 112, when it is clear that the roof, walls, etc. of the building 112 are positioned in a predetermined direction as viewed from the high-sensitivity receiver 102, the high-sensitivity By selecting the antenna in the direction opposite to the building 112 based on the orientation of the housing of the receiving device 102, the antenna arranged on the space side can be selected.

Further, for example, when the surrounding situation of the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 is unknown, the antenna on the upper side of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 (sky side, opposite side of the ground) may be selected. . In general, since the ground exists on the lower side of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102, the space is narrower than the upper side, and the radio wave radiation efficiency is often reduced. Therefore, by selecting the antenna on the upper side of the housing of high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 based on the orientation of the housing of high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102, the possibility of selecting an antenna with better performance increases. , the deterioration of communication quality can be suppressed.

Note that the orientation detection unit may detect, for example, an acceleration sensor. A compass other than a three-axis electronic compass may be used. Moreover, it may be detected by another device. For example, the high-sensitivity reception device 102 may be imaged by an imaging device, and the posture of the housing of the high-sensitivity reception device 102 may be detected based on the captured image. Also, the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 may be detected by a plurality of methods. In other words, any method can be used to detect the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiver 102 .

<Flow of reception processing>
An example of the flow of reception processing executed by the high-sensitivity reception device 102 in this case will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the reception process is started, the three-axis electronic compass 281 is controlled by the control unit 201 to detect the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity reception device 102 in step S191. The control unit 201 acquires the information and grasps the posture of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 .

In step S192, the antenna selection unit 212 is controlled by the control unit 201 to select one of the antennas 211-1 and 211-2 according to the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 detected in step S191. Choose the one with better performance.

In step S193, the processing selection unit 213 is controlled by the control unit 201 to switch the connection to the antenna 211 to the carrier sense side. That is, the processing selection section 213 connects the carrier sense section 214 to the antenna selection section 212 .

In step S194, under the control of the control unit 201, the carrier sense unit 214 performs carrier sense and confirms whether or not the frequency band used for signal reception is available.

When it is confirmed that the frequency band is available, in step S195, the processing selection unit 213 is controlled by the control unit 201 to switch the connection to the antenna 211 to the receiving side. That is, the processing selection unit 213 connects the reception unit 215 to the antenna selection unit 212 . As a result, the receiver 215 is connected to the antenna 211-1 or 211-2 selected in step S192.

In step S196, the receiving unit 215 performs reception under the control of the control unit 201. FIG. That is, the receiving unit 215 receives a signal via the antenna 211 selected by the antenna selecting unit 212, acquires the received signal through the antenna selecting unit 212 and the processing selecting unit 213, and converts the acquired received signal into Then, the data supplied from the transmitting apparatus 101 is obtained by performing predetermined processing such as demodulation. When signal reception ends, the reception process ends.

By executing each process as described above, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can perform signal reception using an antenna corresponding to the orientation of the housing of the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 . That is, high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna with better performance. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where the antenna is positioned near an object, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can switch between multiple antennas to perform data reception with higher sensitivity. That is, the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can improve the data reception success rate and suppress deterioration of communication quality.

Note that since the high-sensitivity receiving apparatus 102 can select an antenna without receiving a signal transmitted from the communication partner (transmitting apparatus 101), it does not wait for the signal from the communication partner (i.e., can receive the signal at a higher speed). ) antenna can be selected. That is, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of communication quality at a higher speed.

The timing of posture detection and antenna selection is arbitrary. As described above, it may be performed before carrier sensing, may be performed constantly in parallel with carrier sensing and signal reception, or may be performed at a predetermined time. , may be performed periodically at predetermined time intervals, or may be performed irregularly.

<6. Others>
<Anti-theft system>
Although the position notification system 100 has been described above as an example, the present technology can be applied to any communication system. For example, the transmission device 101 may be installed not only on a person but also on a moving object or the like.

For example, the present technology can also be applied to an anti-theft system 800 for preventing theft of automobiles, motorcycles, etc., as shown in FIG. In the anti-theft system 800, the transmitter 101 is installed on an object whose position the user monitors, such as a car 801 or a motorcycle 802 owned by the user. As in the case of the position notification system 100, the transmitting device 101 appropriately notifies the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 of its own position information (that is, the position information of the car 801 and the motorcycle 802). In other words, the user can access the server 104 from the terminal device 105 and grasp the positions of the car 801 and the motorcycle 802 as in the case of the position notification system 100 . Therefore, even if the user is stolen, the user can grasp the position of the automobile 801 or the motorcycle 802, so that the automobile 801 or the motorcycle 802 can be recovered easily.

Also in the case of such an anti-theft system 800, by applying the present technology described above in each embodiment to the transmitting device 101 and the high-sensitivity receiving device 102, it is possible to suppress deterioration in communication quality, position information (that is, the position information of the automobile 801 and the motorcycle 802) can be notified to the high-sensitivity receiver 102 more accurately. In other words, the user can more easily and accurately ascertain the position of the automobile 801 or the motorcycle 802 even if it is stolen.

<Other communication systems>
Any information can be transmitted and received between the transmitting device 101 and the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 . For example, the transmission device 101 may transmit transmission information including images, sounds, measurement data, identification information of devices, setting information of parameters, control information such as commands, and the like. Also, the transmission information may include a plurality of types of information such as image and sound, identification information, setting information and control information.

Also, the transmitting device 101 may be capable of transmitting transmission information including information supplied from other devices, for example. For example, the transmission device 101 can transmit images, light, brightness, saturation, electricity, sound, vibration, acceleration, velocity, angular velocity, force, temperature (not temperature distribution), humidity, distance, area, volume, shape, flow rate, Generate and transmit transmission information including information (sensor output) output from various sensors that detect or measure arbitrary variables such as time, time, magnetism, chemical substances, or odors, or the amount of change thereof. You may make it

In other words, for example, the present technology can perform three-dimensional shape measurement, space measurement, object observation, movement deformation observation, biological observation, authentication processing, monitoring, autofocus, imaging control, lighting control, tracking processing, input/output control, electronic device control, It can be applied to a system used for any purpose such as actuator control.

In addition, the present technology can be applied to systems in any field such as transportation, medical care, crime prevention, agriculture, livestock industry, mining, beauty, factories, home appliances, weather, and nature monitoring. For example, the present technology can also be applied to a system that captures an image for viewing using a digital camera, a mobile device with a camera function, or the like. In addition, for example, this technology can be applied to an in-vehicle system that captures images of the front, back, surroundings, and interior of a vehicle for safe driving such as automatic stopping, recognition of the driver's condition, etc., and monitoring of running vehicles and roads. The present invention can also be applied to systems used for transportation, such as a monitoring camera system for monitoring distance between vehicles and a distance measuring system for distance measurement between vehicles. Furthermore, for example, the present technology can also be applied to a security system that uses surveillance cameras for crime prevention, cameras for personal authentication, and the like. Also, for example, the present technology can be applied to a system used for sports that uses various sensors that can be used for sports, such as a wearable camera. Furthermore, for example, the present technology can also be applied to systems used for agriculture that use various sensors such as cameras for monitoring the state of fields and crops. Further, for example, the present technology can also be applied to a system for livestock industry that uses various sensors for monitoring the state of livestock such as pigs and cattle. Furthermore, the present technology can be applied to systems that monitor natural conditions such as volcanoes, forests, and oceans, weather observation systems that observe weather, temperature, humidity, wind speed, hours of sunshine, etc. It can also be applied to a system for observing the ecology of wildlife such as genus, amphibians, mammals, insects and plants.

<Communication device>
Furthermore, the specifications of radio signals and information to be transmitted and received are arbitrary. In the above, an example in which the present technology is applied to the transmitting device 101 and the high-sensitivity receiving device 102 has been described, but the present technology may be applied to any transmitting device, any receiving device, and any transmitting/receiving device. can be done. That is, the present technology can be applied to any communication device or communication system.

<Computer>
The series of processes described above can be executed by hardware or by software. Moreover, it is also possible to execute some of the processes by hardware and others by software. When executing a series of processes by software, a program that constitutes the software is installed in the computer. Here, the computer includes, for example, a computer built into dedicated hardware and a general-purpose personal computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer that executes the series of processes described above by a program.

In a computer 900 shown in FIG. 12, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 901 , a ROM (Read Only Memory) 902 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 903 are interconnected via a bus 904 .

Input/output interface 910 is also connected to bus 904 . An input unit 911 , an output unit 912 , a storage unit 913 , a communication unit 914 and a drive 915 are connected to the input/output interface 910 .

The input unit 911 includes, for example, a keyboard, mouse, microphone, touch panel, input terminal, and the like. The output unit 912 includes, for example, a display, a speaker, an output terminal, and the like. The storage unit 913 is composed of, for example, a hard disk, a RAM disk, a nonvolatile memory, or the like. The communication unit 914 is composed of, for example, a network interface. Drive 915 drives removable media 921 such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory.

In the computer configured as described above, the CPU 901 loads, for example, a program stored in the storage unit 913 into the RAM 903 via the input/output interface 910 and the bus 904, and executes the above-described series of programs. is processed. The RAM 903 also appropriately stores data necessary for the CPU 901 to execute various processes.

A program executed by the computer (CPU 901) can be applied by being recorded on a removable medium 921 such as a package medium, for example. In that case, the program can be installed in the storage unit 913 via the input/output interface 910 by loading the removable medium 921 into the drive 915 . The program can also be provided via wired or wireless transmission media such as local area networks, the Internet, and digital satellite broadcasting. In that case, the program can be received by the communication unit 914 and installed in the storage unit 913 . Alternatively, this program can be installed in the ROM 902 or the storage unit 913 in advance.

<Supplement>
Embodiments of the present technology are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present technology.

For example, the present technology can be applied to any configuration that constitutes a device or system, such as a processor as a system LSI (Large Scale Integration) or the like, a module using multiple processors or the like, a unit using multiple modules or the like, or other units. It can also be implemented as a set or the like with additional functions (that is, a configuration of part of the device).

In this specification, a system means a set of a plurality of components (devices, modules (parts), etc.), and it does not matter whether all the components are in the same housing. Therefore, a plurality of devices housed in separate housings and connected via a network, and a single device housing a plurality of modules in one housing, are both systems. .

Further, for example, the configuration described as one device (or processing unit) may be divided and configured as a plurality of devices (or processing units). Conversely, the configuration described above as a plurality of devices (or processing units) may be collectively configured as one device (or processing unit). Further, it is of course possible to add a configuration other than the above to the configuration of each device (or each processing unit). Furthermore, part of the configuration of one device (or processing unit) may be included in the configuration of another device (or other processing unit) as long as the configuration and operation of the system as a whole are substantially the same. .

In addition, for example, the present technology can take a configuration of cloud computing in which one function is shared by a plurality of devices via a network and processed jointly.

Also, for example, the above-described program can be executed in any device. In that case, the device should have the necessary functions (functional blocks, etc.) and be able to obtain the necessary information.

Further, for example, each step described in the flowchart above can be executed by one device, or can be shared by a plurality of devices and executed. Furthermore, when one step includes a plurality of processes, the plurality of processes included in the one step can be executed by one device or shared by a plurality of devices. In other words, a plurality of processes included in one step can also be executed as processes of a plurality of steps. Conversely, the processing described as multiple steps can also be collectively executed as one step.

A computer-executed program may be such that the processing of the steps described in the program is executed in chronological order according to the order described herein, in parallel, when called, etc. may be executed individually at required timings. That is, as long as there is no contradiction, the processing of each step may be executed in an order different from the order described above. Furthermore, the processing of the steps describing this program may be executed in parallel with the processing of other programs, or may be executed in combination with the processing of other programs.

Each of the techniques described in this specification can be implemented independently and singly unless inconsistent. Of course, it is also possible to use any number of the present techniques in combination. For example, part or all of the present technology described in any embodiment can be combined with part or all of the present technology described in other embodiments. Also, part or all of any of the techniques described above may be implemented in conjunction with other techniques not described above.

The present technology can also take the following configuration.
(1) a selection unit that selects an antenna to be used for transmission from among the plurality of antennas based on the received power of all channels of the frequency band used for transmission by each of the plurality of antennas;
A signal processing device comprising: a transmitter that transmits a signal using the antenna selected by the selector.
(2) The signal processing device according to (1), wherein the selection unit selects an antenna based on the magnitude of the total received power of each channel in the frequency band.
(3) The signal processing device according to (2), wherein the selection unit selects an antenna with the largest total received power.
(4) further comprising a received power calculator for measuring received power in each channel of the frequency band for each antenna and calculating the sum of received power for all channels;
(3) The signal processing device according to (3), wherein the selection unit is configured to select an antenna having a maximum magnitude of the total sum of received power calculated by the received power calculation unit.
(5) selecting an antenna to be used for transmission from among the plurality of antennas based on the received power of all channels of the frequency band used for transmission by each of the plurality of antennas;
A signal processing method that transmits a signal using a selected antenna.

(6) a selection unit that selects an antenna to be used for reception from among the plurality of antennas based on the received power of all channels in the frequency band used for reception by each of the plurality of antennas;
A signal processing device comprising: a receiving section that receives a signal using the antenna selected by the selecting section.
(7) The signal processing device according to (6), wherein the selection unit selects an antenna based on the magnitude of the total received power of each channel in the frequency band.
(8) The signal processing device according to (7), wherein the selection unit selects an antenna with the largest sum of received power.
(9) For each antenna, further comprising a received power calculation unit that measures received power in each channel of the frequency band and calculates the sum of received power for all channels,
(8) The signal processing device according to (8), wherein the selection unit is configured to select an antenna having a maximum magnitude of the total sum of the reception powers calculated by the reception power calculation unit.
(10) selecting an antenna to be used for reception from among the plurality of antennas based on the received power of all channels in the frequency band used for reception by each of the plurality of antennas;
A signal processing method for receiving signals using selected antennas.

(11) a selection unit that selects an antenna to be used for transmission from among a plurality of antennas based on the orientation of the housing;
A signal processing device comprising: a transmitter that transmits a signal using the antenna selected by the selector.
(12) The signal processing device according to (11), wherein the selection unit selects an antenna arranged on the space side.
(13) further comprising an orientation detection unit that detects the orientation of the housing;
(12) The signal processing device according to (12), wherein the selection unit is configured to select the antenna arranged on the space side based on the orientation of the housing detected by the orientation detection unit.
(14) The signal processing device according to (13), wherein the orientation detection unit is a three-axis electronic compass that detects the direction in which the housing faces.
(15) selecting an antenna to be used for transmission from among a plurality of antennas based on the attitude of the housing;
A signal processing method that transmits a signal using a selected antenna.

(16) a selection unit that selects an antenna to be used for reception from among a plurality of antennas based on the orientation of the housing;
A signal processing device comprising: a receiving section that receives a signal using the antenna selected by the selecting section.
(17) The signal processing device according to (16), wherein the selection unit selects an antenna arranged on the space side.
(18) further comprising an orientation detection unit that detects an orientation of the housing;
(17) The signal processing device according to (17), wherein the selection unit is configured to select the antenna arranged on the space side based on the orientation of the housing detected by the orientation detection unit.
(19) The signal processing device according to (18), wherein the orientation detection unit is a three-axis electronic compass that detects the direction in which the housing faces.
(20) selecting an antenna to be used for reception from among a plurality of antennas based on the attitude of the housing;
A signal processing method for receiving signals using selected antennas.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 position notification system, 101 transmitter, 102 high-sensitivity receiver, 103 network, 104 server, 111 elderly, 151 controller, 161 antenna, 162 antenna selector, 163 process selector, 164 carrier sense unit, 165 transmitter , 201 control unit, 211 antenna, 212 antenna selection unit, 213 processing selection unit, 214 carrier sense unit, 215 reception unit, 251 3-axis electronic compass, 281 3-axis electronic compass, 800 anti-theft system

Claims (5)

A signal processing device that does not have a function of receiving a signal transmitted from another device,
a measurement unit that measures received power in each channel of a frequency band used for signal transmission for each of a plurality of signal transmission antennas;
a selection unit that selects, from among the plurality of signal transmission antennas, the signal transmission antenna having the maximum total received power of each channel in the frequency band measured by the measurement unit;
A signal processing apparatus comprising: a transmitting section that transmits a signal using the signal transmitting antenna selected by the selecting section. The signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the signal transmission antenna having the maximum sum of received power of all channels in the frequency band. The signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the signal transmission antenna having the maximum sum of reception power of some channels in the frequency band. The signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the signal transmission antenna having the maximum sum of multiplication results of received power of each channel in the frequency band and a weighting factor. A signal processing device that does not have the function of receiving signals transmitted from other devices,
For each of a plurality of signal transmission antennas, measure the received power in each channel of the frequency band used for signal transmission,
Selecting from among the plurality of signal transmission antennas the signal transmission antenna having the maximum total received power of each channel in the frequency band measured;
A signal processing method for transmitting a signal using the selected signal transmitting antenna .

Images